Sailor Lisa Blair returns to Sydney after record circumnavigation of Antarctica

By Perry Duffin

Updated25 August 2017 — 8:32pmfirst published at 8:20pm

After more than six months at sea and a record circumnavigation of Antarctica, sailor Lisa Blair will sail through Sydney heads victorious.

Ms Blair set off in her yacht Climate Action Now on January 22 determined to become the first woman to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around Antarctica.

"I am so proud of my achievement': Lisa Blair.

Photo: Supplied

But, after 72 days at sea, the mast snapped in rough seas and Ms Blair was forced to motored to a South African port for repairs.

It took two months to repair the vessel but, once she did, she sailed back out and restarted the clock.

The World Sailing Speed Record Council recognised Ms Blair as the first woman to complete the journey solo assisted.

Photo: Supplied

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Ms Blair arrived in Albany in Western Australia on July 24 - officially completing the 135-day loop of the south pole.

She set out for Sydney on August 11 and, at around 1pm on Saturday, Ms Blair is expected to enter the harbour city.

"This last stretch of the journey has been harder than anticipated but I am so proud of my achievement and the work I have done in raising awareness of the message Climate Action Now," she said in a statement online.

Her online tracker showed her working her way along the south coast of NSW on Friday night.

The World Sailing Speed Record Council recognised Ms Blair as the first woman to complete the journey solo assisted - given the repairs in South Africa, her website says.

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The official clock, which took in the 80 days in port, lists her journey time at approximately 215 days.